Top 10 Richest NASCAR Drivers of All Time

Today we will talk about the 10 richest NASCAR racers. So before we get started, make sure bookmark this page for future new updates. NASCAR has its roots in alcohol smuggling during prohibition when alcohol was made illegal.

An enormous black market sprang up. Those who made it gave it to a network of smugglers, many of whom used small, lightweight, maneuverable cars that could outrun the police.

The 10 Richest NASCAR Drivers of All Time

01. Rick Hendrick

The richest NASCAR driver in history is Rick Hendrick, with a net worth of $1 billion. His ten-figure net worth not only makes him the richest NASCAR driver ever but also one of the richest professional athletes ever. Hendrick actually only drove in a handful of NASCAR races, in which he never won, but he is still considered a one-time professional driver. Hendrick’s impressive wealth is mostly thanks to his ownership of Hendrick Motorsports, one of the most successful auto racing organizations ever.

NASCAR drivers who have raced under the Hendrick Motorsports name include Dale Earnhardt Jr., Mark Martin, Jeff Gordon, Daryl Waltrip, and Jimmie Johnson. Rick Hendrick also owns Hendrick Auto Group, which owns and operates over 100 auto dealerships across the country. His business success makes him the richest NASCAR driver in history.

02. Denny Hamlin

Denny Hamlin is another racing legend that has earned his spot on this list, and he is a legend that is still fresh in our minds. Currently fourth in the Cup Series standings, Hamlin has always been fast on the track. So fast that he achieved a total of 48 wins, including three victories in the Daytona 500 in 2016, 2019, and 2020.

This is why he is one of the highest paid drivers in NASCAR at the time, earning $14 million between June 2018 and June 2019. Hamlin currently has a net worth estimated to be around $65 million, just like Richard Petty.

Hamlin may not have won a Cup Series gold yet, but seeing how the majority of the big drivers are now retired and he is still very much active behind the wheel, we might be seeing him doing a victory lap soon.

03. Mark Martin

Mark Martin may have started racing on the dirt in Arkansas when he was just a teenager, but he quickly grew to make his mark as one of the greats in stock car racing. Being Rookie of the Year in 1977, winner of over 40 NASCAR Sprint Cup and Series races, and inductee of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, Mark Martin is also one of the richest drivers with a net worth of around $70 million.

He earned his place at the top of the vast fortune with his longtime success as a NASCAR driver and also his business ventures involving five-car dealerships that he owns. Mark Martin has one of the best racing careers of any stock racer, and this is evident in the fact that he was named one of NASCAR’s 50 greatest drivers in 1998. This proves that Mark truly is deserving of his vast fortune and the luxurious life he enjoys today.

04: Jimmie Johnson

Jimmie Johnson made a career in NASCAR racing by breaking records and winning big. He won the Monster Energy Cup Series seven times and is the only driver to ever consecutively win championship titles in NASCAR. He also owns the other record as the only race car driver to be named Male Athlete of the Year, a title that Jimmie bagged in 2009.

As impressive as Jimmie Johnson’s career is, what is more impressive is his net worth of about $160 million. During his career, he earned over $150 million in career winnings alone and another $10 million from endorsement deals, which should be a record in itself. Jimmie earned $18 million between 2018 and 2019, which made him the highest paid driver in the world. Now that’s a record!

05. Richard Childress

Richard Childress never won a NASCAR race, but his racing career was considered more successful than that of Rick Hendrick. When Hendrick retired from racing in the early ’80s, he asked a man named Dale Earnhardt to drive the No. 3 car Childress had been racing.

Behind Earnhardt’s success, the one-car Richard Childress Racing team was off to a monumental start. RCR would later add the likes of Mike Skinner, Kevin Harvick, and Austin Dillon. Childress’s racing team has remained small, but the team’s success has propelled its owner to the No. 2 spot on the list of richest NASCAR drivers.

06. Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is not only a legendary NASCAR driver, but he’s also part of a legendary NASCAR dynasty. Earnhardt is the son of NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Sr., the grandson of seven-time NASCAR champion Ralph Earnhardt, half-brother of driver Kerry Earnhardt, and uncle of driver Jeffrey Earnhardt. Earnhardt Jr. started driving full-time in 1998 for his father’s team.

He won his first title that year (Xfinity) and made more than $1 million. Within a few years, he started seeing massive paydays. The first year he raced for Hendrick Motorsports in 2008, he made a whopping $30 million. That’s significantly more than most other drivers have earned in an entire career. Earnhardt retired in 2017, having won the Daytona 500 twice and having 26 wins in the NASCAR Cup Series.

His success on the Daytona International Speedway caused fans to call him the Pied Piper of Daytona. His record makes him the 31st most successful NASCAR driver in history along with Fred Lorenzen and Junior Johnson. Although Earnhardt’s ranking in NASCAR history is respectable, it’s far from the top. It may seem a little odd that one of the richest NASCAR drivers in history is also not one of the most successful drivers in NASCAR history.

After all, race earnings are tied directly to winning. Race earnings are not all there is to the story, though. Earnhardt had charisma. He won the Most Popular Driver award every year from 2003 to 2017 and filled seats, tempting those who would not ordinarily see a race. Dale Earnhardt Jr. merchandise sold well. In fact, Earnhardt’s merchandise sales represented an incredible 25% of all of NASCAR’s merchandise sales. They were twice as high as his next closest competitor, and all this popularity translated into endorsements and sponsorships.

07. Jeff Gordon

With a net worth of about $200 million, Jeff Gordon makes his stand on this list as the second richest NASCAR driver as of this year. His popularity and success on the racetrack are important parts of what is pushing NASCAR racing into mainstream success and making Gordon a household name.

Gordon is a four-time Cup Series champ, a three-time Daytona 500 winner, and has won a total of 86 Cup Series races. He truly has an impressive career record, but you can agree that the most impressive thing about this racing legend is his $200 million fortune.

Retired NASCAR race car driver Jeff Gordon won the NASCAR Cup Series title four times in 1995, 1997, 1998, and 2001, respectively. He was also the youngest driver to ever win a NASCAR title at just 24 years old. Jeff Gordon is now the vice chairman of Hendrick Motorsports and has a net worth of $205 million.

08. Jimmie Johnson

Jimmie Johnson comes in at number five among the richest NASCAR drivers of all time. This former NASCAR race car driver and current IndyCar rookie driver was the first and only in NASCAR history to win five championships in a row. As impressive as Jimmie Johnson’s career is, what is more impressive is his net worth of about $160 million.

During his career, he earned over $150 million in career winnings alone and another $10 million from endorsement deals, which should be a record in itself. Jimmie earned $18 million between 2018 and 2019, which made him the highest paid driver in the world. Now that’s a record!

09. Tony Stewart

There is a reason why Tony Stewart is among the top ranks of the most affluent NASCAR drivers in the world, and it’s because he has a net worth of $90 million. Tony Stewart has had an exceptional career as a NASCAR driver. His long list of accomplishments includes three NASCAR Cup Series championships, an IndyCar Series championship, and a recent induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

Tony Stewart’s racing career has not been short on controversy. The NASCAR Hall of Famer has been involved in numerous altercations and spats with other drivers. In spite of his polarizing persona, Stewart has had a tremendous racing career that has helped him amass an almost nine-figure net worth.

10. Danica Patrick

Few NASCAR drivers have garnered as much attention as Danica Patrick. While a handful of women have made attempts at professional driving careers, Patrick has by far had the most successful racing career of any woman and with a net worth of about $80 million, it’s not hard to see why.

Danica is not only the most successful woman but also one of the richest drivers in the game. At the peak of her career, Danica was easily earning north of $10 million per year. Danica Patrick is the only woman to win an IndyCar Series race.

Patrick became a sort of pop culture icon and has continued to maintain her celebrity status even after retiring from racing. The former IndyCar Rookie of the Year has made numerous TV and movie appearances and has been featured in some of America’s most popular magazines, including People, Forbes, and Bloomberg.

11. Carl Edwards

Carl Edwards has enjoyed a successful career as a race car driver and has made plenty of money in NASCAR. Edwards, however, has shown that he has more skills than just driving and has other means of earning income.

Carl Edwards has made numerous TV and movie appearances, including a cameo in the popular 2017 film “Logan Lucky.” Edwards also has a music label with a childhood friend and has been rumored to have political aspirations aimed at a U.S. Senate seat.

12. Kevin Harvick

Kevin Harvick’s long, steady career has helped him accumulate an outstanding net worth of $70 million. Harvick ranks third in all-time national series wins, trailing only Richard Petty and Kyle Busch.

13. Kyle Busch

While Kyle Busch may not be the most liked driver on the NASCAR roster, with a net worth of about $80 million, he certainly is one of the richest. Making the bulk of his wealth with his successful racing career and ownership of his team, Kyle Busch Motorsports, this rowdy racer is sure to leave his name in the history books.

Kyle’s successful career involves big wins like 60 NASCAR Cup wins, Cup championships in 2015 and 2019, and up to 223 wins across the three national series. With as much as he makes from winning races, Kyle makes about $15 to $20 million just from endorsement deals.

He announced last month that he signed a multi-year contract with Richard Childress Racing. If the reports are to be believed, he will be earning a minimum of $15 million annually as his salary. It looks like Kyle Busch is bound to only get richer.

14. Dale Earnhardt Sr.

Dale Earnhardt Sr. may not be the richest NASCAR driver in history, but he is NASCAR. The man known as “The Intimidator” is arguably the most popular NASCAR driver in history. Earnhardt also achieved success as a team owner. Earnhardt tragically died in a crash in the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500, three years after winning the elusive title at the same track. Earnhardt’s life was cut short at the age of 49. His legacy lives on.

Earnhardt Jr. started driving full-time in 1998 for his father’s team. He won his first title that year (Xfinity) and made more than $1 million. Within a few years, he started seeing massive paydays. The first year he raced for Hendrick Motorsports in 2008, he made a whopping $30 million. That’s significantly more than most other drivers have earned in an entire career. Earnhardt retired in 2017, having won the Daytona 500 twice and having 26 wins in the NASCAR Cup Series.

His success on the Daytona International Speedway caused fans to call him the Pied Piper of Daytona. His record makes him the 31st most successful NASCAR driver in history along with Fred Lorenzen and Junior Johnson. Although Earnhardt’s ranking in NASCAR history is respectable, it’s far from the top. It may seem a little odd that one of the richest NASCAR drivers in history is also not one of the most successful drivers in NASCAR history.

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